Wagon-shaft holder.



A. O. HIXON.

WAGON SHAFT HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 9, 1912.

1,064,483, Patented June 10, 1913.

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ARTHUR. CLAYTON I-IIXON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA;

WAGON-SHAFT HOLDER.

Patented June 10, 1913.

Serial No. 708,452.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. HIXON, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wagon-Shaft Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for supporting wagon shafts or thillsin upright position, and in close proximity to the front of the wagonwhen the latter is not in use, and has for an object to provide a simpleand effective means of maintaining shafts for wagons or the like out ofthe way and thus increasing the storage space in a stable and at thesame time eliminating the danger of the shafts becoming broken, bent, orotherwise damaged, during the movement of vehicles in the stable.

It further consists of other novel features of construction all as willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment which is at presentpreferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to givesatisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood thatthe various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can bevariously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited tothe precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalit-ies asherein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a perspective of a portion of a vehicle body showingmy invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of thehook portion of my device and its adjuncts. Fig. 3 represents aperspective of a retaining plate forming part of my invention. Fig. 4represents a transverse section of the retaining plate and a portion ofits support.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings :1 designates the floor or foot-board of avehicle to which my novel shaft supporting means is adapted to beattached, and in this connection itwill be noted that the portion of thevehicle shown is the new type of six spring delivery wagon having shaftsor thills 2, which are pivoted at 3, to the fifth wheel bar 4, and areadapted to be swung through a wide range of movement and may be broughtto a substantially perpendicular position beside the front of thevehicle.

5 designates the cross-bar of the shafts 2, upon the bottom face 6 ofwhich I, preferably, secure by means of screws 7 or like fasteningmeans, a retaining plate 8 of suitable material, the function of whichis to receive and lock the supporting element for the shafts. In orderthat this retaining plate may perform its function in the mannerdesired, I preferably provide the same with a pair of transverse ribs 9which eX- tend in the present instance from side to side of the plate 8and form between them a groove or seat 10, the configuration of which isadapted to conform to the shape of the member co-acting therewith. Itwill further be noted in connection with this retaining plate that it ispreferable to locate the same at substantially the center of thecrossbar 5, so that when the parts are in engaged or operative positionthe weight of the shafts will be equally distributed.

11 designates a hook member, preferably of metal, having one endterminating in an eyelet 12 and its opposite end in a clownwardly turnedhook portion 13, the end 14 of which is, in the present instance bentrearwardly for a purpose to be presently described. This hook member 11is preferably supported beneath the floor or foot-board of the vehicleand for this purpose I prefer to utilize a threaded eye-bolt 15 uponwhich the eyelet 12 is supported, while the threaded stem 16 of the boltpass-es through the floor or foot-board 1 and is retained in place bymeans of the washers 17 and nut 18.

19 designates a hook or the like suitably mounted beneath the floor orfoot-board 1, as the case may be, and located at a suitable distancefrom the bolt 15 to serve as a support for the hook member 11 when thelatter is not in use and inoperative as a shaft supporting means.

In operation of the device the shafts 2 are swung about their pivots 3to bring them to a substantially vertical position whereupon the hookmember 11 is brought down over the face of the retaining plate 8 withthe hook portion 13 seated within the groove 10. It will here be notedthat the length of the hook portion 13, not including the bent end 1 1-,is of substantially the same length as the length of the groove 10,which in this instance is the same as the width of the retaining plate8. When the parts are in this position, as shown. in Fig. 1, the end 14of the hook member 11v is disposed beneath. the lower edge of theretaining plate 8, and thereby serves as an abutment upon which. theweight of the shafts is partially sustained. The importance of thisconstruction will be apparent when it is seen that the resultant of theforces tending to pull the shafts down passes through the eye-bolt 15and the abutment formedby the inturned end 14, so that the hook. memberis effectually locked"in engagement with the plate 8. Furthermore anyside or lateral movement is entirely prevented by the ribs 9, betweenwhich it is normally seated.

It will now be apparent that: I have devised asimple and-efficientdevice for'retaining or holding shafts of vehicles in a sub stantiallyvertical position, one which occu pies a minimum. of space on thevehicle, ispractically concealedfrom view and yet one which. may bequickly and readily adjusted into its operativeposition, and wheninsuch. position forms a self-locking means which cannot be jarred orshaken loose and. requires: manual manipulation to be released.

It will now be] apparent that I have devised a novel: and usefulconstruction of a.

wagon shaft holder which embodiesthe featuresof advantage enumerated: asdesirable in the statement of the invention and the above description,and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described apreferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to givesatisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the sameis susceptible of modification in various particulars without departingfrom the splrit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character stated, the

saidhook. member and prevent lateral movement' thereof;

ARTHUR CLAYTON HIXON.

WVitnesses PATRICK CONNER, n GEORGE W. WVINrrERs'.

Copies 01 this patent-may. beohta'ined for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner: of Patents,

' Washington, 110.

